review: holding up the universe by jennifer niven

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.


Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours. ~ Goodreads 

Source: ARC provided by the publisher via ALA

Review:

There are a lot of *important/issue* books out right now. What I really love is how much better they’ve gotten in not only representation but also how the issues are just one part of the person and not the whole story. A few that come to mind are the recent - The Upside of Unrequited, Geekerella, Queens of Geek and last years Dumplin’, If I Were your Girl, to name a few. They don’t shy away from anything but aren’t thumping you over the head with a message. They aren’t ISSUE books – but books with issues. – if that makes any sense.

Holding Up the Universe is an issue book and never lets you forget it. It’s a constant stream of how difficult life can be (it can be!) and perfectly delivered inspirational messages to make everyone cheer just when all hope is lost. I can see how readers loved this book but I was never able to let go of the authors voice and fall into the characters lives. Instead of immersing in Libby and Jack’s story – I always aware that it was Niven telling it.

There were things that I could personally relate to in Libby. Her mom died and she feels intense panic about dying herself or losing those she loves. That was pretty much me after losing my mother at her age. Everything is factually on point – but I didn’t feel the intensity of what Libby is going through.

The bullying is AWFUL in this book. And relentless. I did like how Libby stood up for herself, liked who she was, understood she deserved more and demanded it but almost everything is centered around her weight and how she has to accommodate others feelings about it. Some of it makes sense to the story but it never allows Libby to be more than the fat girl waiting on others to let her in which was sad because she’s such a vibrant person.

Jack was interesting. Definitely flawed. He has something called Prosopagnoosia where he can’t recognize faces. Even his parents, siblings, girlfriend. Every time he looks at them, it’s like seeing them for the first time. He compensates by basically being an asshole. If he comes into a room all cocky then people either stay away or say something that triggers an identifying feature so that he can figure out who they are. He does something very cruel to Libby but they manage forge a friendship that blossoms into more.

But most of Holding Up the Universe felt very “important” instead of natural. Jack does something horrible, then he writes the perfect letter or says the most perfect thing and voila! forgiven or Libby takes this bold stand against her bullies – loves herself only to be bullied again until love conquers all…or something.

I guess it read more like a well meaning inspirational after school special to me – hitting all the correct notes, checking all the boxes but lacking the emotional punch to the gut or connection to the characters that I was hoping for.